"Amphibians are indicators of environmental health, with direct implications for human health. Their benefits to people should not be underestimated," Das, said in a statement.

Three individual toads -- a juvenile, a female and a male -- were observed in three different locations and range from 30-51 millimeters in length.

The research was part of a wider 'lost' amphibian search launched by Conservation International and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last year, which involved 126 researchers working in 21 countries on five continents.

"It is good to know that nature can surprise us when we are close to giving up hope, especially amidst our planet's escalating extinction crisis," Robin Moore, an amphibian specialist from Conservation International said in a statement.

According to IUCN amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates, with over 30% threatened with extinction.

"I hope that these unique species serve as flagships for conservation, inspiring pride and hope by Malaysians and people everywhere," Moore added.